She Chewed on Her Pencil
by Taylor Hayes
Summary: The Hatter has noticed a habit of Alice's, and is fixating. Is he beginning to realize his feelings for her? This is sort of a continuation of my Oneshot "How it Should Have Ended". Enjoy! Semi-permanently on hiatus.
1. Chapter 1

She Chewed on Her Pencil

a/n This is for tlah21, who really liked the idea of Hatter/Alice. And this is kinda of a continuation of my Alice in Wonderland "How it Should Have Ended". And Hatter is rather... obtuse. *grin* This may become more than a Oneshot if people request that I add to it. Just fyi.

The Hatter had begun to notice a habit of Alice's. She chewed on her pencil.

Every time they would come upon something new, or amazing, or dangerous, out of her bag would come the little pad of paper, and the tiny stub of a pencil. And instead of immediately beginning to write, she would stand, and tilt her head, and chew on that pencil.

She had rather nice lips.

Hatter stopped and considered his thought. Did friends notice one another's lips?

He pictured his other friends. The Tweedles must have lips, and they were constantly speaking. But he had never noticed their lips.

Mallymkun was also always speaking, dramatic monologues about courage and bravery and loyalty and punishing villains. But Hatter found he was not even sure if mice _had_ lips.

The March Hare had a tendency to twitch and tremble, but Hatter had no idea as to whether his friend's lips twitched or trembled.

As for the White Queen, he knew he had never noticed her lips. Hatter was always caught by the fluttering of her hands, wondering if they would someday simply fly off without her.

Ches! He noticed Ches's lips! But, no, he simply noticed Cheshire's smile, since Ches liked to make everything else about himself disappear except his gleaming, mocking grin.

Hatter turned his attention back to Alice's lips. He _had_ noticed them. Nearly constantly. They were a lovely, pale pink. And plump. And set off the fair pallor of her skin. And her large, dark eyes, always brimming with emotions, which he had become adept at reading. And it was all surrounded by the halo of her tangled, white-gold curls.

Alice was a beautiful woman.

Did friends think that about each other?

Hatter pulled off his hat, and considered again. Friends seemed to enjoy complimenting each other. But did they simply notice how wonderful the other looked, rather then looking for something to comment on?

Did they notice how the other smelled? (Alice smelled like faded roses and sugar and single-estate Windy Water tea, his favorite.)

Did friends notice how nicely the other's outfit made their friend look? (Alice wore a pretty blue, ruffled shirt, and patched brown trousers, and black leather boots, and a soft grey overcoat. It all looked quite appealing on her.)

Did friends get jealous?

This brought Hatter up short. Jealousy. It was not an emotion he had ever dealt with before. But as he let himself remember their travels so far, he found that he commonly found himself jealous when Alice was excited to meet someone new.

That fellow Crowsen, for instance. Hatter had not liked the way Crowsen had bowed over Alice's hand, or made her cheeks blush a delicate pink.

(Alice was, after all, _Hatter's_ best friend. He was the one who was supposed to make her laugh and smile!)

Did friends not like it when the other got attention?

Hatter was more confused then ever. And he found himself watching Alice again as she chewed her pencil.

Maybe he should ask her what it all meant tomorrow? Alice would know.

Hatter nodded decisively and let his troubles drift away, and simply sat and watched his _friend_.

fin


	2. Chapter 2

What the Cat Saw

a/n Yes, this is a continuation to "How It Should Have Ended" and "She Chewed on Her Pencil". And I'm just going to keep adding a little bit at a time, here and there.

Ches had been watching the relationship develop with amusement. Alice and the Hatter were both far too oblivious.

They spent all their time together. They were highly protective of one another. They easily became resentful when persons they met showed interest in either of the two. When one was in a temper or low spirits, only the other could bring them out. And they unconsciously kept finding opportunities to touch and be near one another.

The fools were falling in love. And neither of them seemed to realize it.

Cheshire's tail switched from side to side as he tried to decide what to do. He enjoyed causing confusion and forcing individuals to question themselves. But should Ches help these two, or hinder them? He rolled onto his back and ran through the different events that were likely to occur.

Either way would be entertaining.

He spun back to watch the Hatter and Alice laughing together and leaning against one another. Then Ches sighed gustily.

"I suppose it would be in my best interest to help, just a bit, before either goes mad. Or more mad than they already appear to be. Idiots.""

The next day, Ches found a chance to drift ahead, traveling beside Alice, the others in their hodgepodge little group having fallen behind.

Cheshire curled around the air just above Alice's shoulders. "Tell me, my dear, do you miss your family?"

Those large brown eyes were suspicious as she surveyed his guileless expression. Ches knew Alice considered him a close friend. He also knew she did not completely trust him. For good reason, he supposed.

Eventually, she blew out a breath and looked away, eyes scanning the forest that stretched out to either side of the path. "Of course I miss them, Ches. They _are_, after all, my family."

"Then why ever did you decide to stay?" he prodded casually.

The girl frowned, trying to work out where Ches was trying to take this conversation. "Hatter asked me to stay."

Ches responded with a light laugh. "I do remember, Alice. If you will recall, I was there. And the Hatter's words were not a question, but merely an intriguing suggestion. An idea of what could be."

Alice's response was to purse her lips and glare at the floating feline.

The Cheshire Cat grinned widely, perfect teeth glowing white. "The Hatter suggested that you stay. And so you stay. Now, what do you make of that, my dear?"

She opened her mouth, a sharp retort on her tongue, then snapped her jaw shut. And considered.

Ches watched the thoughts rushing over one another, pictured the different emotions studied and discarded, and saw the truth begin to form.

Finally, her lips parted in a surprised "Oh!", and those big dark eyes went wide in apparent self-discovery.

With a broad wink to the girl, Ches felt quite satisfied with himself. "I believe you finally begin to understand."

She nodded slowly, then blurted out, "Hatter! I stayed because of-"

"The Hatter," Ches finished, humor at the delayed discovery rolling off him.

"Hatter," Alice repeated softly, smiling.

"Yes?"

Alice spun to see the Hatter standing just a bit behind them, a confused look on his expressive face.

Mouth opening and closing, like a gasping fish out of water, Alice had no idea what to say, or what her friend had heard. Ches, who had noticed the Hatter striding closer as he and Alice talked, rolled his eyes, then tilted his head 360 degrees.

"Why, hello there, Hatter. We were just talking about you," Ches drawled, a knowing smile stretched across his face.

The Hatter sent Alice a puzzled glance, which forced her to pull herself together.

She glared at Ches, then smiled at the Hatter. "I was just wondering how you learned to Fudderwaken." Only the pale roses blooming in her fair cheeks gave her embarrassment away.

Ches allowed himself to drift away from the two, and went back to watching them as they interacted.

Now, Alice would be self-conscious and proceed to weigh every word and gesture. No doubt it would begin to make her quite angry long before Ches got around to talking with the Hatter.

Ches chuckled. He had done a good deed, sown a bit of confusion, and meddled in a relationship. For the moment, he was content.


End file.
